Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

4 lbs chicken breasts
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups salsa verde
1 tsp cumin
8 oz cream cheese
corn tortillas or taco shells

• Throw everything into crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hrs.
• shred chicken and stir everything together.

Ribs

2 slabs of baby back or pork back ribs 
Dry rub (I use Rib Rub Championship Recipe from Delight, Arkansas. Got it at Walmart in spice section)

• Put a double layer of foil on counter. Put rub on both sides. Wrap each rack in double foil.
• Put on baking sheet with sides.
• Bake at 255 degrees for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Korean Beef

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1 bunch green onions

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meat with garlic and sesame oil. 
• Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers.
• Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. 
• Serve over rice and top with green onions.

Cuban Black Beans

• 1 16oz package dry black beans
• 1 tsp. dry oregano
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• ½ cup chopped Bell pepper
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 tomato

Place dry black beans in a large pot of water on the stove. Allow to soak overnight.

Drain and rinse beans. Place beans in crock-pot. Add about 4 cups of water, just enough to cover.

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add Bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent. Add to beans in pot.

Take a whole tomato and cut it into quarters and place it in the crock pot with the beans.

Add your seasonings; Oregano, Salt, and a dash of pepper. Place lid on beans and leave in a crock-pot on low for 8-10 hours. Just as delicious!

Gouda Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

• 16oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp worcestershire
• 1lb smoked gouda cheese, shredded
• 1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 5 slices bread (about 2cups crumbs)
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Prepare macaroni according to package directions. Set aside.
2. In large pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Add skim milk and bring to near boiling. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle in flour. Whisk vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be thick and boiling. Slowly add cream, while whisking. Add in salt, pepper, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
3. In food processor, shred Gouda and Cheddar cheese. Add to pot, stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture. Pour into a 13x9 dish.
5. In same food processor bowl (no need to wash it after shredding the cheese), process 5 slices of bread to a fine crumb. Add melted butter. Sprinkle over macaroni. Top with crumbled bacon.
6. Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.ENJOY!

Chicken Parmigiana Sandwiches

29 oz tomato sauce
14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes
12 oz tomato paste
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped (6 leaves)
3-4 thawed chicken breasts
sliced mozzarella
Parmesan
Hard rolls

• Add all tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients up to the chicken. Salt and pepper the chicken on top. 
• Set crock pot on low for 6 hours.
• Shred chicken and stir. Put on rolls.

Sticky Fingers

3-4 thin sliced chicken breast
1/2 c Flour
3 Eggs + 2 Tbsp Water
Panko Crumbs

Sauce
1 1/2 c Brown Sugar
1/3 c Frank's hot sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
2 Tbsp Water

• Heat oven to 425. Grease baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Slice chicken into strips. 
• Add chicken and flour to a large Ziploc bag. Toss to coat.
• Whisk eggs and water.
• Dip flour coated chicken into egg, and then into Panko crumbs.
• Place coated chiken onto baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.
• Add brown sugar and hot sauce to a medium sauce pan and stir over med-high heat until melted and mixture comes to a boil. 
• Remove from heat and stir in garlic powder and water.
• When chicken is done, toss in sauce and serve with Ranch.

Spinach Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
4 c Chicken broth
14.5 oz Petit dices tomatoes, undrained
1 9oz pkg refrigerated tortellini
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 Bay leaf
1 c Water
Salt & Pepper
3 c Baby spinach, chopped
2 Tbsp Parmesan

• Heat olive oil in large stockpot over med-high heat.
• Add garlic & cook until translucent.
• Whisk in all ingredients except spinach and parmesan.
• Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tortellini is cooked through (5 min).
• Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt. 
• Serve immediately and add parmesan.

Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

1 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp flour
3/4 c Chicken broth, divided
1/2 c Heavy Cream
3 Tbsp Sun dried tomatoes
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper

• Melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
• Gradually stir in 1/2 c chicken broth, whisking well to avoid clumps. Add remaining ingredients except sun dried tomatoes. Bring to a boil & cook 1 minute. Pour into small bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
• Place sun dried tomato oil in skillet on med-high heat. Saute chicken 4 minutes per side (should be browned & cooked through). Transfer to plate.
• Add remaining 1/4 c chicken broth to skillet and bring to a boil. Scrape any brown pieces up with a wooden spoon. Mix in reserved sauce, add chicken and remove from heat once mixture is warm.

Ranch Style Chicken

1/2 c Honey
1/2 c Dijon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Smokey Paprika
6 chicken breasts
2 c Cheddar Cheese
6 bacon strips, cooked for 20 minutes at 375 degrees

• Combine first 4 ingredients and add chicken. Marinate for 2 hours.
• Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.
• Add bacon & cheese and continue to bake for 10 more minutes.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ginger root ( minced )
1 teaspoon salt
3 chicken breast ( boneless, cut into bite-size pieces )

• In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 tsp cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, pepper, ginger, and 1 tsp salt. 
• Stir in chicken, cover, refrigerate 1 hour. 
• Preheat a grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Grill 5 min. on each side.

Sauce

1    tablespoon butter
1    clove garlic ( minced )
2    teaspoons ground cumin
2    teaspoons paprika
1    teaspoon salt
1    Can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1    cup heavy cream
1/4    cup cilantro ( fresh, chopped )

• Melt butter in a large skillet. Saute garlic for 1 minute. 
• Season with 2 tsp cumin, paprika and 1 tsp salt. 
• Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. 
• Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve over rice

 

Bang Bang Chicken

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more, as needed
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 large egg
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup Panko

Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Frank's Hot Sauce

• To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey and Frank's Hot Sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
• Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce.

Thai-Style Pork Salad

3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 c fresh cilantro
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c lime juice
2 T grated fresh ginger
1 lb boneless pork loin, but into bite size pieces
1 T olive oil
1 c bias-sliced green beens
1 c shredded carrots
12 romaine lettuce leaves

• In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, cilantro, soy sauce, lime juice & ginger. Add pork. Toss to coat.
• In a very large skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add meat mixture. Cook 3 minutes. Add green beans. Cook & stir 3 minutes or until green beans are tender & pork is slightly pink. Add carrots just before serving. 
• Top lettuce leaves with pork mixture. Sprinkle with additional cilantro & serve with lime wedges. 
• Serves 4.

20 Minunte Cherry Tomato Pasta

1/2 pound angel hair

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup loosely packed basil, roughly chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnish

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add in a good handful of salt. Add pasta. Cook aldente or until pasta is slightly undercooked.
• Using tongs remove pasta from water into a colander. Reserve cooking liquid.
• While pasta is cooking, add garlic and olive oil to a very large skillet. Turn the heat on medium and cook until garlic becomes soft, about two minutes.
• Turn the heat to a medium-high and add tomatoes and salt. Cook two minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid leftover from pasta. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer for five minutes — the tomatoes should be starting to burst. If they haven’t gently push on them using the back of a wooden spoon. You only want about half to burst.
• Add pasta, cook another two minutes.
• Turn the heat off, add basil and parmesan cheese. Toss to coat. If needed add more starchy pasta water.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup water
1 tablespon olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon lemon pepper

• Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside slow cooker.
• Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl and pour over chicken breasts.
• Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8 hours.
• Shred chicken and serve with pocketless pita bread, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced cucumbers, lettuce, humus and Tzatziki sauce

Sweet Pork Quesadillas or Tacos

5 lbs of pork loin (This is half of a pork loin from Costco. I freeze the rest for later.)
24 oz of salsa
2-4 cups of brown sugar

• put your pork in the crock pot on low with the fat part of the pork on top. Pour your salsa and 2-3 cups of brown sugar on top.
• Let it cook for about 8 hours or so. Remove the pork from the crock pot and discard the layer of fat on top.
• With two forks shred the pork. It should easily fall apart at this point. Once it is shredded put it back in the crock pot and let it continue to cook for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Serve with Cilantro Lime Dressing (Recipe Below)

Cilantro Lime Dressing
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing Mix
8 oz. jar Salsa Verde
Generous Shake of garlic powder
¾ cup Mayo
¾ cup sour cream
¼ tsp Tabasco Sauce
About 1 Tbsp lime juice
A handful of cilantro

• Throw it all in a blender and mix till smooth. It’s best if made a few hours before.

Farmer's Market Spaghetti

4 cups cherry tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, smashed 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette (I use this recipe) 3/4 lb spaghetti noodles 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• In a medium bowl, toss together tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and olive oil.
• Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes have burst.
• Meanwhile, cook and drain spaghetti reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
• Add the water back in with the drained spaghetti along with the balsamic vinaigrette and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
• When the tomatoes are finished roasting, remove from oven and discard thyme.
• Add tomatoes and garlic to the spaghetti, scraping the baking sheet to make sure all the juices and flavored bits get all in there.
• Toss to combine well, serve with remaining parmesan cheese sprinkled over top.

 

Whole Wheat Pizza

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. yeast

1 1/3 cups cold water

1 Tbsp olive oil

Pizza sauce

Cheese

Toppings

• In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix to combine.
• Add the cold water and oil and mix until a soft dough forms. The dough will be sticky to the touch and a lot wetter than a traditional yeast bread dough. This is how it's supposed to be.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. The dough will not rise much in the fridge and that's ok.
• Pull the dough out the the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for one hour before using. While the dough is resting preheat your oven to 500 degrees.
• If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to heat, too.
• When the oven is hot, cut your dough in half. Place half of the dough on a piece of parchment paper that is 18 inches long. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough (on top of the parchment paper) into a 12 to 14 inch circle.
• Top with 1 cup of pizza sauce, 1/4 cup grate Parmesan, 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella, and toppings of your choice.
• Bake pizza on the parchment paper for 10 minutes.

Pizza Sauce

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• In a small sauce pan cook the oil and garlic together over medium heat until the garlic starts to smell good.
• Add the tomatoes and simmer until it thickens a bit, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. DONE!

Avacado Chicken Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock  - (you could use vegetable stock)
2 teaspoons of cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mild or medium salsa verde (depending on how hot you want it)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream

Enchiladas
3-4 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 avocados, peeled and chopped
8 flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium sauce pan, saute garlic in butter  for about 1 minute on Medium - High Heat. Stir in flour let it cook for about 2 more minutes.

2. Next stir in the chicken broth, cumin, salt, pepper and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro until smooth (or at least as smooth as you can get.)

3. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Add about 1/2 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. and spread out until bottom of the baking dish is evenly coated.

4. Lay out a tortilla and add chicken, shredded cheese, and avocado to the end of the tortilla and roll. Then place the rolled tortilla seam-side down and repeat until the pan is full.

5. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with 1 cup of cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Green Chile Burritos

1 chuck roast
1 TB Italian Dressing Dry Mix
1 TB Hidden Valley Dry Mix
1 TB Brown Gravy Dry Mix
1/2 cup water
1 - 2 cups salsa verde
Tortillas 

• Mix Brown Gravy Dry Mix, Hidden Valley Dry Mix and Italian Dressing Dry Mix together.
• Place chuck roast in your crock pot. Pour 1/3 cup water over your roast. Sprinkle Mix all over the top of your roast. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or until tender.
• Once Roast is slightly warm, shred it.
• Place meat back in the crock pot or in a pan. Add your green chile sauce and cook until your sauce is warm.
• Serve on warm tortillas.